Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 161 schools in district

Bell Middle School

1001 ULYSSES STREET, GOLDEN, CO 80401Jefferson County School District No. R-1 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 06–08Non-Charter
731
Students
Total enrolled
$16,228
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 13% vs nat'l
17.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 16% vs nat'l
65/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↑ 31% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 731 students in grades 06–08 in GOLDEN, Colorado.
13% above average funding
District spends $16,228 per pupil, 13% more than the national average of $14,347.
Above-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 65th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Bell Middle School is a large middle in GOLDEN, Colorado, serving grades 06–08 with 731 students. The district invests $16,228 per student — 13% above the national average of $14,347, with a 17.9:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 33% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. The surrounding neighborhood has an opportunity score of 65/100 — above the national median — suggesting children from modest-income families here tend to reach stronger economic outcomes as adults.

Student Body & Demographics at Bell Middle School

731
Total Students
17.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
33%
Free Lunch
41
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (06–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution374 male · 357 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility33%
National avg 52% · 239 students
Student Composition
75%
16%
Asian2%
White75%
Hispanic / Latino16%
Black1%
Multiracial5%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 080480000698

Academic Outcomes at Bell Middle School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
65
/ 100
Above-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 65th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 100th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 80401

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,228Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,228
State avg
$22,657
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,140
Student Support$3,083
Administration$1,947
Operations$2,434
Other$1,623
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,228 spent per student, an estimated $7,189 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
37%
55%
State government
36.9%
Local (property tax)
55.3%
Federal programs
7.8%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • High neighborhood opportunity score (65/100) — strong long-term economic outlook for children
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Three Creeks K-8Bear Creek K-8 SchoolLincoln Charter AcademyJefferson Academy Elementary
+2 more
↓
Middle
Drake Junior High SchoolSummit Ridge Middle SchoolDunstan Middle SchoolCreighton Middle School
+3 more
↓
High School
Lakewood High SchoolRalston Valley Senior High SchoolArvada West High SchoolChatfield High School
+13 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location—
CountyJefferson County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictJefferson County School District No. R-1 →
Phone: (303)982-4280
NCES ID: 080480000698
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in GOLDEN seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing a high-opportunity neighborhood and strong long-term outcomes for children. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Jefferson County School District No. R-1
High
Lakewood High School
1,885 students · 09–12
● 41 opp43% FRL
High
Ralston Valley Senior High School
1,843 students · 09–12
11% FRL
High
Arvada West High School
1,840 students · 09–12
● 49 opp31% FRL
High
Chatfield High School
1,784 students · 09–12
● 52 opp15% FRL
High
Columbine High School
1,686 students · 09–12
● 45 opp26% FRL
High
Bear Creek High School
1,431 students · 09–12
● 50 opp53% FRL
High
Golden High School
1,416 students · 09–12
● 65 opp22% FRL
High
Dakota Ridge Senior High School
1,338 students · 09–12
● 52 opp22% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1001 ULYSSES STREET, GOLDEN, CO 80401
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.